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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Pide - Turkish Pizza

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When traveling, those of us who have replaced backpacks and hostels with more upscale arrangements are often shortchanged. While accommodations may be more comfortable, it can be difficult for tourists to get a feel for the food of the areas they are visiting. In an effort to please everyone, hotel dining rooms have dumbed down the food they serve and those who want to sample local fare often have to hit the streets in order to find it. While our hotels in Turkey served wonderful food, it was usually an adaption of Turkish food and both Bob and I preferred the more authentic street food and meals we found on our own. We were also extremely fortunate to have a guide whose plans for us included wonderful lunches in Turkish homes and local restaurants. One of the dishes she introduced us to was pide, the Turkish equivalent of pizza. Pide is made in wood-fired ovens and while it is bears some resemblance to pizza, it is not as heavy. An assortment of ingredients can be used to top it and it makes an extremely satisfying meal that is inexpensive and a lunchtime favorite in areas where it can be found. I thought you might enjoy it as well, so I wanted to pass the recipe on to you. I have included instructions for making the dough that forms the pide base, but the world will not end if you use a commercially prepared equivalent. My only caution is to keep the crust thin. This is an interesting dish and I think you will enjoy it. Here's how it is made.

Directions:
1) Sprinkle yeast on top of water or milk. Stir in sugar and let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2) In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in yeast and olive oil and mix until well-blended. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3) Return dough to bowl. Dust top with flour and cover bowl with clear plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Let sit in a warm spot until dough is 50 % higher than before, about 20 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
5) Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and kneed each of them on a lightly floured surface to eliminate air bubbles. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough into an elongated oval or rectangle.
6) Using one of the toppings below, spread each piece to within 1-inch of edges. Crimp edges and brush with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet if desired. Bake for about 15 minutes on a baking sheet or directly on oven racks.

Welcome back Mary! ((hugs)) My goodness, those Turkeish pizza looks amazing. The crust made me drool. I bet these are the best pizza you ever tried. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward for more stories from your trip.Have a great day!Blessings, Kristy

I think that any traveler who wants to find authentic food can find it, and those that want the dumbed down version will find that too - no matter where they're staying. I'm definitely like you in seeking out the best a place has to offer.

I really really like these. When I'm going to a Middleeastern shop in Montreal (Quebec, Canada), a couple of time every year, I can't get out of the shop without one of these. Now, I know how to prepare these. Thanks a lot... So trill about your trip!

We're with you Mary, when in another country I want to eat the traditional dishes and not an Americanized version. There are many countries whose fare I can describe, but I had no idea what the flavors of Turkey might be.

I've never had Pide before, but I just know I would love it! If it's even a tiny big close to pizza, I will be a fan. I love that you guys are so adventurous when you travel... that's really what it's all about anyway, right?

I haven't really traveled much since I started really appreciating food, but when I do I'll certainly take the hit-the-streets method! I've heard of pide before but have never tried it...sounds delicious!

That looks wonderful! I will need to make it soon. I lived in Iran when I was a teen and we would get bread on the street that looked like that. They wrapped it up in newspaper for you to take home... yum.

That looks wonderful! I will need to make it soon. I lived in Iran when I was a teen and we would get bread on the street that looked like that. They wrapped it up in newspaper for you to take home... yum.

Wow, you're so brave making your own pide, Mary. :) I'm yet to attempt it as like you said, it's so cheap here in Turkey. I can imagine mine turning into a thick-based, heavy brick so I leave it to the experts. ;)

It seems every culture has its own version of pizza, doesn't it? I would love to try this. Your description your travels gives me a bit of wanderlust, an itch to taste new things. Making pide in my own kitchen will have to do!

I've made pide before and have a couple of suggestions, for what they may be worth. Substituting ground lamb for ground beef is particularly good, chopping the veg as small as possible and to squeeze out all the liquid from the veg, otherwise too much water will collect on the bread and ruin the finished dish in my opinion.

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